24/7 malls, halls, footfalls: India, jaago re!

After years of ‘protecting’ people from a vibrant nightlife, the Indian nanny state seems to have finally realized that adults can and should be able to go out late at night, passing a law to allow restaurants, malls, cinema, etc. to remain open 24x7.Divya Kaushik, Niharika Lal&Abhimanyu Mathur | TNN | July 01, 2016, 08:36 IST

For years, many, including us, have been asking why leisure establishments in the capital and other major Indian cities can’t stay open 24x7, like in the many other global cities that Indians flock to as tourists. Finally, after all these years, it’s the central government that’s taken a major step forward by clearing a model law that allows shops, malls, cinema halls and other commercial establishments to operate 24x7 throughout the year.

The Model Shops and Establishment (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Services) Bill 2016 is advisory in nature, and its implementation depends on states. But it does offer the hope that it will prod state governments and police to provide the infrastructure that will allow citizens to have the option of going out any time of the day or night. What’s also welcome is a change in the mindset that women can’t work at night because ‘it’s not safe’ – the model law says it’s imperative that it be made safe for them to work any time of the day or night, like men can. Delhi’s nightlife has reacted with both relief and caution, adopting a wait-and-watch approach to how the local government, administration and police handle its implementation.

Now the police will also have to come on board“It’s a positive step, but we have to look deeper into the policy, study it and see what more can be done for Delhi. But it’s a good step for the revival of the city’s nightlife. Now the police will also have to change its stand and come on board, because it’s the central government’s decision. Let them implement the policy first and then we will take it forward.” - Kapil Mishra, Delhi Tourism minister.

Delighted and hopeful that state and local authorities will cooperate and adopt this model“This is extremely wonderful news and a victory for the NRAI (National Restaurant Association of India). While working within restricted time limits, we have been lobbying hard for the past many years for the freedom of operational timings in restaurants. We are delighted – this will go a long way in boosting employment in India. We are hopeful that the state and local authorities would cooperate and adopt this model. In Delhi, we just hope that state government finds merit in what the cabinet has approved and this gets implemented soon. This is being perceived as a very positive sign that will not just add to our revenues, but will also help in making this city more vibrant. On our part we will continue lobbying for extension of time limits for restaurants in the city until it is finally implemented.” - Riyaaz Amlani, president, NRAI

The move will benefit all stakeholders – restaurateurs, consumers and government“A step like this will benefit different stakeholders in the long run - restaurateurs, consumers and the government. There are many people in Delhi who have no place to go to if they are finishing work by 11-11.30pm, so if there are places in the city that are open till 3 or 4am, it is a huge relief. This surely means an increase in revenue for restaurateurs - when we pay high rentals for 24 hours, then we should be allowed to make use of the space for 24 hours. This move will help us generate more employment - if an outlet decides to operate till 3 or 4am, they have to hire more staff to work in different shifts. The restaurant (and food) industry is the second highest employer in India after agriculture. The government will be able to collect more taxes and revenues. The only thing is that the police needs to be more vigilant to make this work. We have had other cities as case studies to prove that keeping restaurants open till late at night doesn’t mean an increase in crime.” - Zorawar Kalra, restaurateur.

The 24X7 model is practical and in keeping with the way the workplace is changing“I believe that the government increasingly needs to review the laws that surround our industry and align them with the various parties involved. A step like this drives restaurants away from residential neighbourhoods, where they can be irritants, and incentivizes them into hubs which are both convenient for customers as well as respectful of noise and traffic issues. I think working on the 24X7 model is absolutely practical and in keeping with the way the workplace is changing. People are working all hours in line with international markets, and this provides them retail options at a time convenient to them. Also, very importantly, the retail industry is important to our economy and it has been increasingly struggling with the growing shift to online shopping. A step like this will give it a much needed boost and we welcome the initiative. It’s a very progressive move. It gives people what they want, and stimulates the economy with very little downside.” - AD Singh, restaurateur.

Humein logon ko 12 bajte hi bhagana nahi padega“I am hopeful, but I am not celebrating yet. This news is very positive for the industry as a whole and I was so excited when I heard this that I asked my friends if we can go ahead with this immediately. But I was told I should be patient and wait for official orders and notices. It would be great if this becomes a reality. Humein logon ko 12 bajte hi bhagana nahi padega. But this becoming a reality might take time - restaurants will need permissions for time extensions from various licensing departments. This will require changes in the licensing process – from the municipality, the police and the excise department. This will need coordination within various departments, but if the state government gives its nod and this is implemented, I am expecting far less trouble than what we face now.” - Priyank Sukhija, restaurateur.

Govt’s fInally realized our contribution to economy... but we’ll need to see if people want to visit the mall at night“The move is definitely welcome because this is an indication that the government realizes that retail, entertainment and F&B are sectors that contribute to the economy, and is willing to give us additional hours to conduct our business. But having said that, we would have to view this decision very cautiously with respect to the safety and security requirements. If we are to keep malls open 24x7, safety concerns would need to be looked into before implementing this. The F&B and entertainment sectors will definitely get a boost but for retail, as in shopping, the long-term impact depends on customer interest. So, most importantly, I would say we need to analyse customer feedback. We would have to conduct a customer survey and see if people even want to come to malls at night or not. Only then can we say whether the move is feasible in Delhi-NCR. Customer footfall in malls in Delhi depends a lot on seasons as well - there are months when the weather is a factor in determining late night footfall. All that will have to be looked into as well.” - Pushpa Bector, executive vice president, DLF Mall of India.